Cougar swimmers Farley, Hicks took team approach to 1,000 points

Although scoring 1,000 points puts a swimmer in an individual spotlight, their focus invariably turns back toward the team.

Hazleton Area seniors Tyler Farley and Jeff Hicks both recently eclipsed 1,000 career points within weeks of each other. The milestone adds to the mark both swimmers left on Hazleton Area's program as individuals, but they also looked back on what their accomplishments gave to the team.

"Every race I knew I had to try my hardest to get to 1,000 points and also to help the team win the meet," Hicks said.

Farley stated that the support of his family, teammates and coaches helped him to achieve the milestone.

"Definitely my team's help. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them. Mostly my family; my brother pushed me to do my best and my coaches," Farley said when asked about the key to hitting 1,000 points. "I always want to succeed, so pushing myself to succeed helps me to not fail."

Although swimming is often seen as an individual sport, Farley feels the guidance from his coaches played a big part in him reaching the coveted milestone.

"They push me hard so I swim faster. They push me harder at practice so I'll swim faster in the meets," he said. "They also help with techniques and building muscle."

Hazleton Area head coach Michele Yakubowski is happy for the pair, who demonstrated the hard work and dedication they put into the sport.

"Both of them have worked hard to develop significantly at swimming," she said. "They're true students of the sport and I think that's what it takes to get better and what it takes to be as successful as they are."

Despite competing in all three relays as well as the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, Hicks' rise to 1,000 points is more remarkable than most because he only began swimming competitively three years ago when he joined the Hazleton Area team as a sophomore.

"I always wanted to join the team but I didn't have the push. My friends told me I should join," Hicks said. "I worked really hard to catch up to my friends and I tried hard not to skip anything."

Yakubowski said the milestone is impressive for Hicks given his short history with the sport.

"It's very impressive because he didn't have a swimming background. He was willing to study and go beyond what we do at practice to improve and learn," she said.

Farley has a long history with the sport of swimming. He began swimming around the age of five and followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Eammon, who was also a 1,000-point swimmer at Hazleton Area.

The younger Farley swam for six years with the Hazleton YMCA and joined the high school team as a freshman following a brief break from the sport.

Hicks set the points mark during the 100 butterfly, his favorite event because of the challenge it involves. "I have the most respect for it because it takes a lot of skill to do it," he said."

Farley swims in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke, as well as the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay for the Cougars. He grew up swimming the breaststroke and lists that as his favorite event.

Although his mind is set on what he needs to do physically during a race, Hicks said he feels the support of his coaches in the heat of his events.

"I worry what the coaches will say, how my stroke is and what I can do to get ahead of everyone else," Hicks said when asked what goes through his mind during a race. "(The coaches) make us swim hard. I don't always like it but it's all for a good purpose and it pays off in the end."

Although Farley visualizes his race as one of his pre-race superstitions, he competes in the events with a clear mind.

"Nothing," Farley answered when asked what goes through his mind during a race. "I just try to finish as fast as I can."

Little things add up to big results for a swimmer and Hicks said that he works on his turns, breathing and kicks throughout the season to help him become a better swimmer.

"The turns are the hardest. I also work on not breathing off of every wall and kicking off the wall to improve my speed," he said.

Farley agreed and said that mastering the little things helps keep a swimmer going longer.

"In swimming, it comes to hundredths of a second so the little things count," he said. "If you don't have good technique, it's hard to swim fast for a long period of time."

Farley said that he always had a goal to match his brother's accomplishments and encourages other swimmers to push toward the 1,000-point mark.

"Keep working hard. Never give up, even when you feel like you are failing," he said. "Listen to the coaches. When you are tired or hurting, push through it because it will only get easier the more you do it."

Yakubowski said it was a positive thing for Farley to try to emulate his older brother and that their relationship played a big part in the younger Farley's swimming success.

"(Tyler) was just a little guy running around when Eammon was swimming. It was a good goal for him to try to match Eammon. (Eammon's) been to almost every big meet to support Tyler and it's a nice relationship for both of them," she said.

Hicks encourages others to shoot for the same milestone and every good thing you do adds up to a brighter tomorrow.

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